Jon barely slept that night, and muddled his way through school the next day. He was on edge, terrified that his careless wish would effect someone or something. But as the day went on, the feeling subsided. The wish must've been a dud, he figured. If anything was changed he would've seen it by now.
Hanging out with Karyn after school, the two pondered their next move.
"Maybe I should just get rid of it. It's already unpredictable." He hadn't told her about the with he'd made the night before.
"Come on Jon, I don't think you've tried it enough yet. Changing tree branches? Think of all the other possibilities." She seemed to be taking her transformation in stride.
"I don't know," Jon hemmed.
"Besides, what would you do with it? Can it even be destroyed? At least if you hold onto it, you know that nobody else can get their hands on it and screw things up even more."
"Yeah. Maybe I'll just lock it in a safe or something."
"Whatever, Jon boy. Just think about it. I've gotta get home and check the mail!"
The two parted ways, but Jon was confused about the last thing she'd said. She seemed nervous and a little excited about checking the mail. Maybe she had a package coming or something? Paying it little mind, he made his way home.
He peeked inside his own mailbox as he got to his house, and pulled out the stack of envelopes inside. Making his way up the front path, he rifled through them. The usual bills and coupon mailers were in there, but he paused as he noticed something odd. Nestled in with everything else was a single bright red envelope. No stamp, no return address. The only thing printed on the front, in clean black letters, was his father's name. He walked in the front door and saw his parents sitting on the couch.
"Hey dad, there's a letter for you." Jon held up the envelope, and his father's face immediately went white as a sheet.
"Oh no!" his mother said, "No, no, no!"
His father sighed. "I guess this is it." He steeled himself, then called up the stairs, "Kids, come down here please!"
Jon's younger brother trotted down the stairs, his sister Zoe trudging behind him. They both saw the envelope Jon was holding.
"Shit!" Zoe exclaimed.
"No!" Mikey shouted, suddenly looking very scared. They both ran over and hugged their father.
"It's alright kids," Roger Madison said, trying to comfort them, "We knew this could happen." Linda remained on the couch, trying to hold back sobs.
"What's going on?" Jon asked.
"Well it looks like I've been reassigned," his father responded.
"Reassigned? Huh?"
"Son, now is no time for denial. You know as well as I do about the weekly lottery. I've been picked at random, and reassigned to take over another person's life."
Jon just stood and stared. Was this what his wish did?
"I know it's a shock," Roger continued. "But we all have to deal with it. And eventually the lottery will find someone to replace me. You'll have a new father, and I'll adjust to my new life. The programming guarantees that."
"Programming?"
"Yes, the programming. Now, let's see that letter. They're already on their way, I'm sure. Might as well see who it is I'm going to be."
Roger took the envelope from Jon's trembling hand and ripped it open, pulling out the sheet inside to see whose life he was about to inhabit.
